Summer Weight Loss Equals Better Health

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

Many people use summer time as time to get in shape and lose weight. If this is you and you are tracking your weight the loss probably hasn’t been as dramatic as hoped, but then the summer weather hasn’t really been all that summer –like yet. Sustained nice weather must be on the horizon because it is obvious to some of us that our efforts at weight loss need to be stepped up to show any real results. Below are some tips from caloriesecrets.net for changes to make for not only weight loss, but better health.

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Most of these tips would fall into the common knowledge range that all of us should already be doing, but may need a reminder to stay on track. There are any number of plans that will work, but if they never get beyond the planning stage, to the grocery store food buying stage they are going to fail.

1. Change to healthier fats

Try replacing butter with olive oil or a trans-fat free margarine and replace processed snacks that are high in trans fats with healthier alternatives such as nuts and seeds.

It is important to remember that whilst choosing healthier fats, if you are trying to lose weight it is important to moderate your intake of fat as fats are calorie dense and even healthy fats can cause weight gain if eaten in excess.

2. Eat more vegetables

They provide fiber, numerous essential vitamins and minerals and are low in calories. Try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables at meals and add vegetables to meat based dishes like chili or burgers in order to bump up the nutritional value and reduce the fat content of the meal.

3. Eat more fruit

Always choose fresh fruit over juices as these tend to contain less fiber and more calories.

4. Choose whole grain

Whole grain products have the benefit of a low glycemic index and thus keep your blood sugar levels stable for longer.  This in combination with the higher fiber keeps you fuller for longer and less likely to overeat.

5. Drink water

By swapping high calorie drinks such as soda and juice for water, you can cut out a huge number of calories and a large amount of refined sugar from your diet.

6. Switch to low fat dairy or alternatives

Be aware when choosing a low-fat product that often sugar is substituted for the fat to maintain good flavor.

7. Snack on nuts

Nuts are an excellent source of fiber, protein, healthy fats and minerals, and so make the ideal snack.

8. Eat breakfast

People who eat breakfast tend to eat more healthily during the day and are less likely to overeat or consume unhealthy snack foods due to intense mid-morning hunger pangs than those who skip it.

9. Eat less processed and more fresh, whole foods

Fresh, whole foods contain all of the nutrients and fiber of real food. There are no additives and nothing lost from processing.

10. Eat lean protein

Lean protein is an important part of the diet and essential for a healthy body.  We need to eat some protein to obtain amino acids, which as essential building blocks for the proteins in our bodies.  Some of these can be synthesized by the body, but others must be obtained through the protein in food.  Protein also has the benefit of keeping you fuller for longer and therefore may be beneficial for weight loss.

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